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WICHITA, Kansas – Kansas leaders issued the following statements in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby.

Congressman Mike Pompeo’s statement:

“Kansans should not have to choose between giving up the right to seek judicial protection of their religious liberty or forgoing the benefits of operating as a corporation. Fortunately, the Supreme Court’s verdict is an important step in defending our religious freedom and upholding America’s long tradition of free exercise of religious beliefs. The Court’s rejection of President Obama’s refusal to abide by both the Constitution and congressional authority should make clear that he needs to work with Congress.

“All Americans, including family business owners, must be free to live and work according to their beliefs without fear of government punishment, yet the Affordable Care Act has threatened this very basic right. Plenty of Kansans start organizations to bring their beliefs into the marketplace, and the Court has rightly affirmed that they don’t surrender their freedom when they open a family business.”

“Every American has a right to the free exercise of religion guaranteed by the First Amendment to our Constitution. This right has been upheld time and again by the Supreme Court over the last 200 years. I applaud the Court for upholding this fundamental principle of our nation.

“Kansans join millions of pro-life Americans in celebrating this victory, especially at a time when the Obama Administration has said it will circumvent the Congress to enact its agenda. The Court’s ruling has affirmed that they cannot circumvent the Constitution.”

Attorney General Derek Schmidt’s statement:

“America’s bedrock principle of religious liberty today prevailed over the demands of the modern bureaucratic state. For the second time in two years, the United States Supreme Court has stricken a part of ‘Obamacare’ as illegal. Kansas has been a proud part of both those successes, and I am hopeful our other pending challenges will succeed in future years.”

Governor Sam Brownback’s statement:

“The Supreme Court today affirmed the right of religious freedom, one of the bedrock principles enshrined in our constitution. It again rebuked a needless overreach of President Obama’s administration. Kansans understand that President Obama’s Washington approach, with its one-size-fits-all philosophy, coupled with the President’s repeated abuses of power, are not good for America and are terrible for Kansas.

“Importantly, the Court’s decision was based on the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act; in 2013, I was proud to sign the Kansas version of this act into law. The Kansas Preservation of Religious Freedom Act provides another level of religious freedom protection to Kansans.”

Lt. Governor Jeff Colyer’s statement, M.D.:

“Today the Justices of the Supreme Court had a chance to protect religious freedoms and take a stand against the continued federal intrusion into our private beliefs. In ruling in favor of Hobby Lobby, the Supreme Court stood strong for those beliefs.”